PRONUNCIATION: Meb-ra-ha-tom Kef-lez-ghee

BIRTHDATE: 5 May 1975

PERSONAL BEST: 2:09:08 (Houston, 2012)

WORLD MARATHON MAJORS:
03Nov13 ING New York City Marathon 23rd 2:23:47
12Aug12 London Olympic Games Marathon 4th 2:11:06
06Nov11 ING New York City Marathon 6th 2:09:13
07Nov10 ING New York City Marathon 6th 2:11:38
19Apr10 Boston Marathon 5th 2:09:26
01Nov09 ING New York City Marathon 1st 2:09:15
26Apr09 Flora London Marathon 9th 2:09:21
22Apr07 Flora London Marathon DNF
05Nov06 ING New York City Marathon 21st 2:22:02
17Apr06 Boston Marathon 3rd 2:09:56
06Nov05 ING New York City Marathon 3rd 2:09:56
07Nov04 ING New York City Marathon 2nd 2:09:53
29Aug04 Athens Olympic Games Marathon 2nd 2:11:29
12Oct03 LaSalle Bank Chicago Marathon 7th 2:10:03
03Nov02 New York City Marathon 9th 2:12:35

ADDITIONAL MARATHON HIGHLIGHTS:
14Jan12 Houston U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 1st 2:09:08
03Nov07 New York U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 8th 2:15:09
07Feb04 Birmingham U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials 2nd 2:11:47

CAREER NOTES: Three-time Olympian Mebrahtom “Meb” Keflezighi has proven himself as one of America’s most accomplished distance runners on the track and on the roads. He won the marathon silver medal at the 2004 Olympics, won the New York City Marathon in 2009, won the 2012 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials in a personal best 2:09:08 and finished fourth at the 2012 London Olympic Games. As one of the most consistent marathoners in the world, Keflezighi has finished 13 career marathons under 2:12. In Boston he finished third in 2006 and fifth in 2010. In 2013, Keflezighi finished runner up at the U.S. Half Marathon Championships in Duluth and fourth at the San Diego Half Rock ‘n’ Roll Half Marathon. At the New York City Marathon, he finished a disappointing 23rd.

“It is always a great honor to compete in the prestigious Boston Marathon,” says Keflezighi. “This year’s race will have special significance for all of us because of the tragedy that occurred last year. I am honored to be amongst the 36,000 runners that are running the 2014 Boston Marathon to demonstrate the spirit of the marathon. I am training hard and smart to be healthy and fit enough to compete for a victory.”

PERSONAL NOTES: Keflezighi says he likes running because it is a fair sport. “Everyone starts and finishes at the same place. There are no substitutes, no time-outs. You get out of running what you put into it.” He began running at age 12 and competed with two of his brothers at San Diego High School where he won three state titles his senior year. He graduated from UCLA with a degree in communication studies. He was a multiple NCAA champion and has earned many national records and national championships on the track, cross country and roads.

Keflezighi immigrated to America with his family in 1987 from Eritrea (after living in Italy for two years). He has five brothers and five sisters and is married to Yordanos Asgedom. The couple has three daughters: Sara, Fiyori, Yohana. Keflezighi recently started a non-profit called the MEB Foundation, which promotes health, education and fitness for youths.

“This year, all 36,000 of us will ‘run together’ to demonstrate the spirit of the Marathon. We will still have our individual motivations, but we will be unified under the Boston Strong umbrella.”